1. Was insulin shock therapy a viable clinical treatment?
Insulin shock therapy is a former psychological treatment for mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia. This is when one injects insulin to make comas. In A Beautiful Mind, the main character John Nash receives this king of therapy to help his schizophrenia. Although his hallucinations did stop, he had to deal with the side effects. Also, after he stops taking the medication, the hallucinations would come about again. Insulin shock therapy is not a viable clinical treatment especially since they stopped using it in the 1970s. Although it may be difficult without it, one with schizophrenia should try to overcome it like John Nash, especially since it's correlated to the mind. Although one can use it when their hallucinations become dangerous, besides that, they shouldn't use it because of side effects and they return to their normal state without it.
2. Was John Nash an unusual case, or do you think that many schizophrenic patients can be taught to function in society with without medication?
In my opinion, John Nash was an unusual case because if schizophrenic patients didn't need medication, then most of the patients would be cured. This movie just showed the life of a schizophrenic patient and how hard it is to overcome their psychological disease. I think to actually fully overcome schizophrenia, the patient should take medication but at the same time, try to overcome it by themselves psychologically. The medicine should also be one that doesn't trigger their personality as much and keeps the side effects to a minimum.
3. What are the dangers and/or advantages of this type of treatment (re: insulin shock therapy)?
The dangers of this type of treatment is that although it does erase the hallucinations for a while, it brings about numerous consequences and side effects like hypoglycemia or brain damage. Also, if the medication isn't in use, the hallucinations can arise again. The advantages is that it does temporarily stop the hallucinations and reduces anxiety and nervousness. It can even sometimes change their personality.
4. What is the difference between the treatment of schizophrenia in 1960-1970 and today?
Today, patients with schizophrenia are treated with antipsychotic drugs that are correlated with socializing. However, before during the 1960-1970s, they used electric shocks in the brain. Insulin shock therapy was used before, but now they stopped using it because it didn't fully treat the patients and their numerous side effects. Synthetic chemical chlorpromazine was also used in the 1960-1970s, and it was safer than insulin shock therapy. However, today there is still no complete cure for schizophrenia.
5. What are the various types of schizophrenia? Which would you consider the worst case to have? The least worst? Explain why for each.
The various types of schizophrenia include disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated, paranoid, and residual. The worst case of schizophrenia would definitely be paranoid schizophrenia because of all the delusions and hallucinations. One would have a difficult time realizing reality and their imagination. This would be worse than the disorganized type because this is only about disorder and flat affect. Paranoid type would also be more painful than catatonic type because ones that are catatonic know what they are doing, but they can't control their bodies. The least worst would definitely be residual type because positive symptoms like hallucinations are at a low intensity, so although it might be a distraction at times, it wouldn't exactly affect one's life.
6. What treatments are being pioneered today for schizophrenia?
Currently, many schizophrenic patients are using antipsychotic drugs. This helps reduce positive symptoms and doesn't have as many side effects. Insulin drug therapy is now banned in various western countries. Electroshock convulsive therapy is used sometimes because it has been proven to have better effects. However, there is no exact cure that cures schizophrenia completely.
Insulin shock therapy is a former psychological treatment for mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia. This is when one injects insulin to make comas. In A Beautiful Mind, the main character John Nash receives this king of therapy to help his schizophrenia. Although his hallucinations did stop, he had to deal with the side effects. Also, after he stops taking the medication, the hallucinations would come about again. Insulin shock therapy is not a viable clinical treatment especially since they stopped using it in the 1970s. Although it may be difficult without it, one with schizophrenia should try to overcome it like John Nash, especially since it's correlated to the mind. Although one can use it when their hallucinations become dangerous, besides that, they shouldn't use it because of side effects and they return to their normal state without it.
2. Was John Nash an unusual case, or do you think that many schizophrenic patients can be taught to function in society with without medication?
In my opinion, John Nash was an unusual case because if schizophrenic patients didn't need medication, then most of the patients would be cured. This movie just showed the life of a schizophrenic patient and how hard it is to overcome their psychological disease. I think to actually fully overcome schizophrenia, the patient should take medication but at the same time, try to overcome it by themselves psychologically. The medicine should also be one that doesn't trigger their personality as much and keeps the side effects to a minimum.
3. What are the dangers and/or advantages of this type of treatment (re: insulin shock therapy)?
The dangers of this type of treatment is that although it does erase the hallucinations for a while, it brings about numerous consequences and side effects like hypoglycemia or brain damage. Also, if the medication isn't in use, the hallucinations can arise again. The advantages is that it does temporarily stop the hallucinations and reduces anxiety and nervousness. It can even sometimes change their personality.
4. What is the difference between the treatment of schizophrenia in 1960-1970 and today?
Today, patients with schizophrenia are treated with antipsychotic drugs that are correlated with socializing. However, before during the 1960-1970s, they used electric shocks in the brain. Insulin shock therapy was used before, but now they stopped using it because it didn't fully treat the patients and their numerous side effects. Synthetic chemical chlorpromazine was also used in the 1960-1970s, and it was safer than insulin shock therapy. However, today there is still no complete cure for schizophrenia.
5. What are the various types of schizophrenia? Which would you consider the worst case to have? The least worst? Explain why for each.
The various types of schizophrenia include disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated, paranoid, and residual. The worst case of schizophrenia would definitely be paranoid schizophrenia because of all the delusions and hallucinations. One would have a difficult time realizing reality and their imagination. This would be worse than the disorganized type because this is only about disorder and flat affect. Paranoid type would also be more painful than catatonic type because ones that are catatonic know what they are doing, but they can't control their bodies. The least worst would definitely be residual type because positive symptoms like hallucinations are at a low intensity, so although it might be a distraction at times, it wouldn't exactly affect one's life.
6. What treatments are being pioneered today for schizophrenia?
Currently, many schizophrenic patients are using antipsychotic drugs. This helps reduce positive symptoms and doesn't have as many side effects. Insulin drug therapy is now banned in various western countries. Electroshock convulsive therapy is used sometimes because it has been proven to have better effects. However, there is no exact cure that cures schizophrenia completely.